ARTICLE
(Cotuit, Massachusetts) The Cahoon Museum of American Art opens for the season on March 18 with a full slate of contemporary art exhibitions presenting the work of seven regional and national artists. Artwork in a wide variety of media is represented including paintings, large-scale wall drawings, fiber art, sculpture, and wood assemblage. The Museum will be open Thursday–Saturday, 10am to 4pm, with free admission for the month of March. Pre-registration is requested, and facial masks and social distancing are required. The season kicks off with Scott Prior: Illuminations, an exhibition of more than 35 paintings, prints, and drawings that span five decades of the artist’s career. The exhibition features the artist’s work in genres of portraiture, still life, and landscape, including new work and scenes of Cape Cod. A color catalog of the exhibition will be available for purchase. The show is sponsored by a Trustee of the Cahoon Museum and remains view through May 29. The work of visionary artist David Schmid, a Cotuit local who passed away this winter, will also be on view beginning March 18. This exhibition includes paintings, sculptures, and 3-D collages ingeniously created from commonplace materials. It remains on view through April 17. An exhibition of Brewster artists Jackie deRuyter and Kate Nelson follows, opening on April 22. The exhibition, Shape Shifters, presents their most recent abstract paintings and sculptures in a colorful, bright, and uplifting show that will remain on view through June 5. Beginning June 9, Vermont artist Duncan Johnson will present Under Construction, a series of wall assemblages created by using colorful re-claimed wood gathered from construction sites and landfills. Aspects of sculpture, drawing, and painting converge in this show which remains on view through September 19. Spanning the summer season, the Museum has invited Boston-based artist Ethan Murrow to create a large-scale original drawing directly onto the gallery wall. The primary subject of the installation, titled The Greenhouse, is a massive felled oak tree, a cautionary reference to the effects of colonization and development on the Cape’s natural environment. It also includes a treehouse, with windows looking out onto a vast green landscape–a potential vision of a hopeful future. Morrow will work with a team of artists for over a week, and visitors may register to watch the artist at work prior to the opening on June 16. The exhibition includes additional drawings and a time lapse video and will remain on view through October 3. The season rounds out with the exhibition Brenda Kingery: Weaving Messages, on view from October 6 until the Museum closes for the season on December 19. This exhibition presents a series of narrative abstract paintings whose vivid expression draw from the artist’s Chickasaw heritage. To make a reservation to see the exhibitions, visit cahoonmuseum.org or call (508) 428-7581. About the Cahoon Museum of American Art The Cahoon Museum of American Art presents historical and contemporary art exhibitions in the landmark Crocker House in Cotuit, MA. The Museum welcomes visitors of all ages to learn about art and art history, to enjoy fun, family friendly events, to delight in creative programming, and to embrace the enduring story of the important folk artists Ralph and Martha Cahoon. The Museum is committed to its mission to celebrate American art in ways that expand knowledge, enrich the spirit, and engage the heart. The Cahoon Museum of American Art is located at 4676 Falmouth Road (Rt. 28) in Cotuit, MA. The Museum opens for the season on March 18 and hours are Thursday through Saturday, 10am-4pm. Registration to visit the Museum is requested; drop-ins welcome as gallery space allows. For more information, visit Cahoonmuseum.org or call (508) 428-7581.